Master_Hugian wrote an interesting post comparing the research costs for various unit lines at different tiers. (Units and Research Cost) Later we had a major research cost revamp though. I've updated his post with new numbers below.
Research costs seem affected by game speed, difficulty and map size. I picked Normal, Emperor and Standard size for this comparison. Consider these values primarily in relation to each other.
See 2nd post for side by side comparison and comments.
Melee
Archery
(Tier 2) Archer (926)
Crafting (179) + Mining (299) + Archery (448)
(Tier 3) Longbowman (5112) - 4186
[Archery* (926)] + Bronze Working (598) + Bowyers (3588)
(Tier 4) Marksman (19371) - 14259
[Bowyers* (5112)] + Military Strategy* (2598) + Precision (11661)
(Tier 4) Arquebus (22167) - 21091
[Bronze Working* (1076)] + Smelting (2392) + Iron Working (3887)
Engineering* (6739) + Blasting Powder (8073)
(Tier 4) Crossbowman (22017) - 16905
[Bowyers* (5112)] + Engineering* (6739) + Machinery (10166)
_____________
Military Strategy (3674) - 2598
Ancient Chants (119) + Mysticism (299) + Philosophy (448)
[Crafting (179)] + [Mining (299)] + [Bronze Working (598)]
Agriculture (119) + Education (418) + Warfate (478) + Military Strategy (717)
Engineering (6918) - 6739
[Crafting (179)] + Masonry (209) + Construction (598)
Agriculture (119) + Ancient Chants (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Mathematics (1419) + Engineering (3289)
Mounted
(Tier 2) Horseman (926)
Agriculture (119) + Animal Husbandry (269) + Horseback Riding (538)
(Tier 3) Chariot (3689) - 2763
[Horseback Riding* (926)] + Ancient Chants (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Trade (672) + Crafting (179) + Masonry (209) + Construction (598)
(Tier 3) Horse Archer (3048) - 2122
[Horseback Riding* (926)] + Crafting (179) + Mining (299) + Archery (448) + Stirrups (1196)
(Tier 4) Knight (19344) - 18239 (from Chariots) - 17940 (from Horse Archers)
[Horseback Riding* (926)] + [Crafting (179)] + [Mining (299)]¤ + Bronze Working (598) + Smelting (2392) + Iron Working (3887) + Warhorses (11063)
¤: Only required to research from Chariots
Recon
(Tier 2) Hunter (806)
Exploration (119) + Hunting (687)
(Tier 3) Assassin (3190) - 2392
[Hunting* (806)] + Poison (2392)
(Tier 3) Ranger (3885) - 3079
[Hunting* (806)] + Agriculture (119) + Animal Husbandry (269) + Animal Handling (2691)
(Tier 4) Beastmaster (17220) - 13335 (from Rangers)
[Animal Handling* (3885)] + Crafting (179) + Mining (299) + Bronze Working (598) + Smelting (2392) + Iron Working (3887) + Feral Bond (3289) + Animal Mastery (2691)
(Tier 4) Shadow (15242) - 15242 (from Assassins)
Council of Esus¤ (4824) + Mathematics (1419) + Code of Laws (478) + Currency (1345) + Taxation (2392) + Guilds (4784)
_______________
¤: Assumes you have to put it in your cities yourself through reserching Deception.
Deception (4824)
Ancient Chants (119) + Mysticism (299) + Philosophy (448) + Way of the Wicked (418)
Agriculture (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Fishing (239) + Sailing (478) + Trade (672) + Deception (1046)
Arcane
(Tier 2) Adept (956)
Ancient Chants (119) + Mysticism (299) + Knowledge of the Ether (538)
(Tier 3) Mage (6007) - 5051
[Knowledge of the Ether* (956)] + Agriculture (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Alteration¤ (956) + Sorcery (2990)
(Tier 4) Archmage (24545) - 18538
[Sorcery* (6007)] + Arcane Lore (5382) + Strength of Will (13156)
________
¤ or Divination/Elementalism/Necromancy
Master_Hugian never got around to adding discipline and other religious units. Hopefully I will. Also Berserkers.
Research costs seem affected by game speed, difficulty and map size. I picked Normal, Emperor and Standard size for this comparison. Consider these values primarily in relation to each other.
See 2nd post for side by side comparison and comments.
Key
# : A number
(Tier #) : What tier the unit is
(###) : How much the tech or unit costs assuming you have no technologies
- ### : How much the unit costs if you have all the technologies required to build the previous tier unit.
[]: Technologies that are used in the previous tier units or have been factored in elsewhere.
Melee
Spoiler :
(Tier 2) Axeman/Swordsman (1076)
Crafting (179) + Mining (299) + Bronze Working (598)
(Tier 3) Champion (7355) - 6279
[Bronze Working* (1076)] + Smelting (2392) + Iron Working (3887)
(Tier 4) Phalanx (39509) - 32154
[Iron Working* (7355)] + Engineering* (6739) + Mithril Working (11063) + Mithril Weapons (14352)
(Tier 4) Immortal (56886) - 49531
[Iron Working* (7355)] + Engineering* (6739) + Mithril Working (11063)
Theology* (17377) + Divine Essence (14352)
____________
Engineering (6918) - 6739
[Crafting (179)] + Masonry (209) + Construction (598)
Agriculture (119) + Ancient Chants (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Mathematics (1419) + Engineering (3289)
Theology (18033) - 17377
[Agriculture (119)] + [Ancient Chants (119)] + [Education (418)] + Code of Laws (478)
Mysticism (299) + Philosophy (448) + Priesthood (1196) + Religious Law (3588) + Theology (11362)
Crafting (179) + Mining (299) + Bronze Working (598)
(Tier 3) Champion (7355) - 6279
[Bronze Working* (1076)] + Smelting (2392) + Iron Working (3887)
(Tier 4) Phalanx (39509) - 32154
[Iron Working* (7355)] + Engineering* (6739) + Mithril Working (11063) + Mithril Weapons (14352)
(Tier 4) Immortal (56886) - 49531
[Iron Working* (7355)] + Engineering* (6739) + Mithril Working (11063)
Theology* (17377) + Divine Essence (14352)
____________
Engineering (6918) - 6739
[Crafting (179)] + Masonry (209) + Construction (598)
Agriculture (119) + Ancient Chants (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Mathematics (1419) + Engineering (3289)
Theology (18033) - 17377
[Agriculture (119)] + [Ancient Chants (119)] + [Education (418)] + Code of Laws (478)
Mysticism (299) + Philosophy (448) + Priesthood (1196) + Religious Law (3588) + Theology (11362)
Archery
Spoiler :
(Tier 2) Archer (926)
Crafting (179) + Mining (299) + Archery (448)
(Tier 3) Longbowman (5112) - 4186
[Archery* (926)] + Bronze Working (598) + Bowyers (3588)
(Tier 4) Marksman (19371) - 14259
[Bowyers* (5112)] + Military Strategy* (2598) + Precision (11661)
(Tier 4) Arquebus (22167) - 21091
[Bronze Working* (1076)] + Smelting (2392) + Iron Working (3887)
Engineering* (6739) + Blasting Powder (8073)
(Tier 4) Crossbowman (22017) - 16905
[Bowyers* (5112)] + Engineering* (6739) + Machinery (10166)
_____________
Military Strategy (3674) - 2598
Ancient Chants (119) + Mysticism (299) + Philosophy (448)
[Crafting (179)] + [Mining (299)] + [Bronze Working (598)]
Agriculture (119) + Education (418) + Warfate (478) + Military Strategy (717)
Engineering (6918) - 6739
[Crafting (179)] + Masonry (209) + Construction (598)
Agriculture (119) + Ancient Chants (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Mathematics (1419) + Engineering (3289)
Mounted
Spoiler :
(Tier 2) Horseman (926)
Agriculture (119) + Animal Husbandry (269) + Horseback Riding (538)
(Tier 3) Chariot (3689) - 2763
[Horseback Riding* (926)] + Ancient Chants (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Trade (672) + Crafting (179) + Masonry (209) + Construction (598)
(Tier 3) Horse Archer (3048) - 2122
[Horseback Riding* (926)] + Crafting (179) + Mining (299) + Archery (448) + Stirrups (1196)
(Tier 4) Knight (19344) - 18239 (from Chariots) - 17940 (from Horse Archers)
[Horseback Riding* (926)] + [Crafting (179)] + [Mining (299)]¤ + Bronze Working (598) + Smelting (2392) + Iron Working (3887) + Warhorses (11063)
¤: Only required to research from Chariots
Recon
Spoiler :
(Tier 2) Hunter (806)
Exploration (119) + Hunting (687)
(Tier 3) Assassin (3190) - 2392
[Hunting* (806)] + Poison (2392)
(Tier 3) Ranger (3885) - 3079
[Hunting* (806)] + Agriculture (119) + Animal Husbandry (269) + Animal Handling (2691)
(Tier 4) Beastmaster (17220) - 13335 (from Rangers)
[Animal Handling* (3885)] + Crafting (179) + Mining (299) + Bronze Working (598) + Smelting (2392) + Iron Working (3887) + Feral Bond (3289) + Animal Mastery (2691)
(Tier 4) Shadow (15242) - 15242 (from Assassins)
Council of Esus¤ (4824) + Mathematics (1419) + Code of Laws (478) + Currency (1345) + Taxation (2392) + Guilds (4784)
_______________
¤: Assumes you have to put it in your cities yourself through reserching Deception.
Deception (4824)
Ancient Chants (119) + Mysticism (299) + Philosophy (448) + Way of the Wicked (418)
Agriculture (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Fishing (239) + Sailing (478) + Trade (672) + Deception (1046)
Arcane
Spoiler :
(Tier 2) Adept (956)
Ancient Chants (119) + Mysticism (299) + Knowledge of the Ether (538)
(Tier 3) Mage (6007) - 5051
[Knowledge of the Ether* (956)] + Agriculture (119) + Education (418) + Writing (568) + Alteration¤ (956) + Sorcery (2990)
(Tier 4) Archmage (24545) - 18538
[Sorcery* (6007)] + Arcane Lore (5382) + Strength of Will (13156)
________
¤ or Divination/Elementalism/Necromancy
Master_Hugian never got around to adding discipline and other religious units. Hopefully I will. Also Berserkers.